“My hats off to the men in this room too that are raising kids — I love that, and I love the fact that there are also women out there that don’t have a choice and they must go to work and they still have to raise the kids,” she said. “Thank goodness that we value those people too. And sometimes life isn’t easy for any of us.”

From Politico. What it sounds like she is saying is that she loves that people are willing to do what it takes to raise kids.

I wonder if this "gaffe" isn't simply an ironic use of the phrase "I love," fairly common in Midwestern usage. Such as, "I love that Barack Obama is so critical of rich guys that pay a low tax rate than their secretaries." Or, in shorthand, "I love that Obama pays a lower tax rate than his secretary." Ann Romney's remark is certainly awkward and easy to misinterpret, but hardly evidence of heartlessness.

No one in the world ever gets what they want and that is beautifulEverybody dies frustrated & sad and that is beautifulThey want what they're not and I wish they would stop saying,Deputy dog dong a ding dang depadepaDeputy dog dong a ding dang depadepa

Don't don't don't let's startThis is the worst partCould believe for all the worldThat you're my precious little girlBut don't don't don't let's startI've got a weak heartAnd I don't get around how you get around

When you are alone you are the cat, you are the phoneYou are an animalThe words I'm singing nowMean nothing more than meow to an animalWake up and smell the cat food in your bank accountBut don't try to stop the tail that wags the hound

D, world destructionOver and amatureN, do I need this deductoin

Don't don't don't let's startThis is the worst partCould believe for all the worldThat you're my precious little girlBut don't don't don't let's startI've got a weak heartAnd I don't get around how you get around

No one in the world ever gets what they want and that is beautifulEverybody dies frustrated & sad and that is beautifulThey want what they're not and I wish they would stop saying,Deputy dog dong a ding dang depadepaDeputy dog dong a ding dang depadepa

D, world destructionOver and amatureN, do I need this deductoinT, need this torture?

Don't don't don't let's startThis is the worst partCould believe for all the worldThat you're my precious little girlBut don't don't don't let's startI've got a weak heartAnd I don't get around how you get around

I don't want to live in this world anymoreI don't want to live in this world

Don't don't don't let's startThis is the worst partCould believe for all the worldThat you're my precious little girlBut don't don't don't let's startI've got a weak heartAnd I don't get around how you get around

According to Merriam Webster on-line, one of the definitions of "love" is: "unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1): the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2): brotherly concern for others." So, maybe love wasn't such a bad word to use afterall.

I think what she was trying to say was that she loves that women have choices, but let's try to gin up some controversy and pretend otherwise.

And may I note, all my mom friends who are "stay at home moms" are middle to lower middle class. Whose husbands are maintainence workers for pete's sake. They are not rich. They made a choice. One car, no splashy vacations (go to the Catskills or LI beaches). I have other friends that don't "have" to work, but choose to. You don't have to be "rich" to be a stay at home mom and you don't have to be poor to be a work outside the home mom.

Enough.

What Obama needs to remember is his kids were born with "a silver spoon in their mouth," (and the Obama's will only get richer after they leave DC) and should his kids they therefore be disqualified from politics? I don't recall this hatred of wealth during the Kerry campaign either.

CWJ: Ok, perhaps I missed something. Please tell me which of these are not true:

1)Don't Tread celebrated the face value of Anne's comment, calling her a "shrewd competitor" and reminded us that "married women understand" the competitive victory that her comment, at face value, reflects.

2)Freder very reasonably disparages the idea (the idea promoted by Don't Tread, not Anne Romney, btw) that women are engaged in a competition with one another and that if they should seek to marry rich guys.

3)Several commenters afterwards miss the point. And of course no other commenters challenge Don't Tread's comment. (who would expect otherwise?)

Also, please note that I in no way believe that Anne Romney really meant to say, as she observes the landscape of women who must work and raise families at the same time, she thinks about her own economically wondrous choice and is therefore "lovin it" McDonald's style. To put those words in her mouth is inane. To put those words in her mouth and then AGREE WITH THEM, is what you call a garden variety Altnouse commenter?

So, Don't Tread, just to make sure we understand: you really think she meant it exactly like it sounds? And you celebrate what you consider to be her intent, as a refreshing break from whiny pc conventional wisdom?

Also, what do you think of the many conservatives who are saying things like, what she really means is she loves how people will do anything to support their families? Do you think these commenters are caving to the pressures of wussdom?

You are so right about this. I don't like the way she uses the word love in these sentences. She also went around saying 'I love that women are talking about economy, jobs..' I hope she gets coached and acquires some polish in the way she talks. In this instance as the other she is trying to compliment women. But it is all awkward.

Fen, of course, correctly identified what she meant upthread. So cheerfully we can cede that maybe it is possible, regardless of the responses to me, that every commenter here except Tread understands what she meant.

"It seems Romney was trying to express empathy for women who don’t have the option to stay at home, as she did."

If you take away that she was 'loving' or saying 'its great' that women didn't have a choice, I think you overlook that she may have chosen her words poorly. She would have nothing to gain from such a statement.

You may simply be following the age-old script of a liberal looking for a way to be offended, for political purposes.

Maybe you just want to say that she is stupid, just like all liberals say about conservative/republican women.

My college poetry professor (male), upon noticing I was late to class (again), circa 1982:

So, you are late because you are holding some man's (#*@)in your hand for too long? Does he have the money to support you when you fail this class and don't get your degree? Do you know that it is just as easy to fall in love with a rich man as with a poor man."

Actually, I've thought of all three questions many times over the years. Some of the best words of wisdom I ever heard from a college professor.

I recall being shocked at his forthrightness (and insight), but not at his meaning.